Posted July 10, 2019
"Planning anything where Case Steelgrave's concerned is hazardous to one's health. I've heard he has a whole little gang up in Whitefish that watches his back too," Hannah told Pike. "Word is that he is a killer, a gun for hire. Problem is, due to how he conducts his business, there's nothing linking him, no clear evidence. Leastways, so far that's been the case."
"Another thing to take care with, Mr. Pike, is old Elias Steelgrave. He won't tolerate any interference with his family. In fact, I am surprised that Shade Thornton is still alive. He killed the youngest Steelgrave boy thirteen years ago. 'Course, word was that Elias was tired of cleaning up after Calvin. Rapes, beatings...even rumors that he'd killed a couple of prostitutes. That whole family is as crazy as a bag of cats."
Posted July 11, 2019
Pronto heard her out, “Not information I hadn’t surmized ‘but Steelgrave. No Ma’am. Figger him to be deadly as thet grizzly you folks were huntin’.
He smiled. “Family trouble is it? Well now, that does complicate matters some. Nothin’ hardly worse’n a passle o’folks with the same disregard fer the law.” He paused again, then continued with, “How many are there to deal with? I ain’t out fer the lot of ‘em, but I’ll shorely do what has to be done.”
Hannah sighed. She was not doing a great job at heading off trouble. However, she felt this man deserved the truth. "There are the four Steelgrave boys and the daughter, Leah. Benjamin's the eldest and the most sane of the bunch. He can be counted on to do the bidding of Elias and Eleanor though. The feud with the Thorntons goes back to long before John Caleb Thornton died and left the ranch to his eldest, who was killed this past June." She paused in her narrative and pushed her wild hair back out of her eyes. "Sooner or later it will come to a head."
Storyteller / Shared NPC
NPC Narration / Author: Flip / Posted July 11, 2019
Meanwhile, out in the street, a somewhat a familiar sight appeared, the unmistakable Steelgrave surrey and two riders, one to a side making their way toward the hotel when they pulled up. the driver got out and helped Leah Steelgrave down, then took up her luggage, a pair of carpet bags and followed her inside. The two men on horseback dismounted, returning their Winchesters to their saddle scabbards, then grabbing hold of the trunk and following the others inside.
The question of course, 'why was she in town?' Followed quickly by 'how long will she stay?'
The merchants loved her visits as she stayed in the Steelgrave suite, spent a lot of money in town. And then there were the two riders, also birthed at the hotel, as was the driver, she paid their way as well. The men would cause no trouble, they knew better. The lesson had been learned long ago that you behaved when you accompanied Leah Steelgrave.
It's not a question of who's right. It's a question of what's right.
Matt Wentworth / Posted July 11, 2019
On 7/11/2019 at 1:52 PM, The Old Ranger said: The question of course, 'why was she in town?'
"Why was she in town?" was the question Matt was thinking when he saw Leah and her entourage walking to up to the front desk. He was in the lounge, that was situated nearby, talking with one of the guests who was staying in the hotel when he became aware of her presence. He hadn't been facing the entrance but knew something was up when the man, who was in town for business, had suddenly become distracted.
Seeing that the man was intrigued, Matt toyed with the idea of telling the man to steer clear but decided not to. It wasn't his job to warn everybody who came to town about the Steelgraves. Besides, if Leah wanted to get to know the man better then nothing he had to say would make a difference and if she didn't, then she would stop him cold in his tracks.
As he watched Simpson take care of the registrations, he decided that he didn't want to talk to her at this time. Whatever she was here for would be made clear soon enough. The Steelgraves didn't waste time unless they had a reason too. They liked to strike while the iron was hot, hunting their prey with precision.
After making his excuses to the man, he headed towards the bar.
Posted July 18, 2019
Once she was settled in, clothes hung in the armoire, which her father had imported from France, along with the bed, she seated herself in the chair by the window absently gazing at the traffic, both human and vehicular below. Now, the trick would be to locate this Pike fellow, well perhaps it may not be as hard as she initially believed. How many men could there be that appeared to be a gunman in town, not many she expected.
It would be easy enough she thought, men, where would his type frequent? The saloon of course. And just where would he be staying? That was a question she didn't have an answer to, at the moment. 'All in good time.' She thought, 'All in good time." There were a couple of other things she needed to do, one was to see the doctor and after that the bank and her investments. 'Wouldn't father be exasperated!' But there was plenty of time.
Sit down, shut up, don't touch anythin'
Posted July 20, 2019
Addy listened to the conversation between Pike and Hannah, nodding. "Not just a family of 'em," she grumbled, "but they got th' law on their side, makes 'em all th' more dangerous," She shrugged. "Marshal Steelegrave enforces th' law when it suits him, an' changes th' law ta suit him." She just made a point to steer clear of confrontations, although that was moot now, if they Sttelgraves found out that Pike was here.
Oh, well, she wasn't one to shy away from trouble, and now she had a head's up to stay alert...if anyone even knew that Pike was here.
Barnabas Pike / Posted July 21, 2019
"The feud with the Thorntons goes back to long before John Caleb Thornton died and left the ranch to his eldest, who was killed this past June." She paused in her narrative and pushed her wild hair back out of her eyes. "Sooner or later it will come to a head."
Pike Lightly shook his head. "Head, lead, sortta rhymes, with gun trouble as the end result, seen it a time 'er two down Texas way." He paused, then looked to Addy, "He's only got the law in Whitefish on his side 'cuz like you say, he is the law. But away from there he ain't squat."
He paused again, "Sounds to me like alla them Steelgraves 'er trouble. Ain't gonna be about facin' one, it'll be about facin' alla 'o them." The thought gave him less comfort than the pain in his shoulder.
Addy listened to the conversation between Pike and Hannah, nodding. "Not just a family of 'em," she grumbled, "but they got th' law on their side, makes 'em all th' more dangerous," She shrugged. "Marshal Steelegrave enforces th' law when it suits him, an' changes th' law ta suit him." She just made a point to steer clear of confrontations, although that was moot now, if they Sttelgraves found out that Pike was here.
Oh, well, she wasn't one to shy away from trouble, and now she had a head's up to stay alert...if anyone even knew that Pike was here.
Posted July 23, 2019
"Addy, Mr. Pike, thank you for giving me a heads up on this incident. I'll keep a close eye on any of the comings and goings of Steelgrave's gang," Hannah said. With her father thinking about retiring, she sure did not need more trouble out of Whitefish and the Steelgraves. "Anything else that I can do for you before I head out?"
Barnabas Pike / Posted July 24, 2019
"Reckon not Deputy. Wish't I could tell ya who it was shot me, but I cain't." He said, "Weren't Steelgrave though. He was ahead of me, not behind."
The identity of the shooter was now information Pronto Pike was anxious to learn, as whoever it was, was a dead man walking. But that would be a while till his shoulder healed up and he regained it's use. A man with two guns, needs both hands and arms to use them, and one never knows which needs to be drawn 1st.
"Not to worry, Deputy, ain't plannin' on anything happenin' here in town, less'n I got no choice in the matter."
Sit down, shut up, don't touch anythin'
Posted July 24, 2019
"I'll send word 'round ta th' doc ta not mention treatin' ya," Addy commented, not sure how much the man liked to talk about his job, especially if someone came around asking questions. Of course, there was no reason for anyone to think that Pike had actually made it into town unless they were following him, in which case they'd likely be here, or coming. Addy would be particularly cautious as long as Pike was here recuperating.
"Yer welcome as long as ya want," she added, "yer guns are by th' bed there, an' that ladder there," she nodded to the corner, "goes up ta th' loft...in case."
There could be big trouble headed this way, and it was best to be ready.